Mannix (TV Series) Cry Pigeon (1972) User Reviews

Really good except for the physics at the end...

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 18 February 2015]

When the episode begins, Tom Fortune has asked Mannix to meet him in some warehouse to talk about hiring him for a case. However, Mannix is clear--he wants nothing to do with Fortune because of his family and their mob connections. Tom insists--saying that he only wants Mannix to follow his wife to see if she's being unfaithful and with whom. Well, before they can say anything more, a gunman kills Fortune and escapes.

When the police arrive, Mannix tells Lt. Malcolm all about the meeting. Soon, Tom Fortune's mobster father (Barry Sullivan) arrives with his other son and daughter-in-law. However, Mannix omits the unfaithful wife bit from his story because presumably he doesn't want to see the wife get killed--especially since she might be innocent of any wrongdoing.

Soon the mobster father sends out his muscle to grill Mannix. They reason that there's more to the story and Mannix might be responsible for the murder in some way. At the same town, the mob boss' rival (John Colicos) starts muscling Mannix because he wants him to relay the message that he is NOT responsible for the murder. With Mannix in the middle, is there any way for him to avoid getting squashed?!

This is an exciting episode with some nice twists and Mannix NOT getting knocked out or drive off the road (standard clichés on this show). However, I did laugh at the end where the guy in the wheelchair was shot. His chair flew over sideways due to the impact--though the physics of this are ridiculous. He would have slumped or perhaps fallen out of the chair. The force could not have made the chair fly over sideways! Not a huge mistake, nor is some of the use of stunt doubles (it's pretty obviously NOT Mannix in one scene).

Well done

[Guad42 · 8/10 · 11 May 2021]

The plot has been covered by the other reviewer. Whenever the story centers on rival gangs about to go after each other over a killing of a member, you can rest assured that the top lieutenant(s) in one gang is orchestrating this to take over and so it is here. Barry Sullivan comes across well as a businessman whose business is crime. John Colicos is a reasonable rival. Colicos made several appearances on Mannix and I keep waiting for one where he can bust out into his semi-evil, semi-crazy character (Kor/Baltar). Looking forward to that. The rest of the cast is fine and the story rolls along in a quick fashion. I am amused how Mannix's reputation causes people, particularly bad guys, to use him in various roles without a second thought. There have been several shows over the years where he is used as a go-between, courier, peacemaker, etc for bad guys to get things done. People who wouldn't trust their mothers think nothing of having Joe put something together for them.

As usual, the police aren't much help. Their timing is impeccable in that regard. Not sure I would use Peggy as a driver but it gets her some screen time. Don't think Joe got paid for his trouble either. He did get to live though. That's something.

MANNIX TIMES TWO MOBSTERS

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 31 August 2022]

Barry Sullivan (remembered for the BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) played some memorable dramatic roles, either as a friend or foe. He was truly one of the few big screen stars to make a successful switch to tv and very much in demand.

Sullivan plays a mobster named Fortune. That leads to a little problem for Mannix. Joe has a meeting with Fortune's son --who gets killed --and guess who is the prime suspect? Mannix also has to deal with yet another mobster named Duke (best played by John Calicos), who wants his name out of the mess. Period. Calicos, of Greek ancestry, was terrific playing brooding villians, usually Italian. This pre-GODFATHER takeoff is well acted and directed by the master of action, Reza Badiyi. Reza knew how to get Mannix beat up, if not caught in some wild car chase.

Richard Devon is also in the cast, a familiar face on MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, also a veteran of many 50s cult films. By the way, Sullivan's son is played by actor Tony Young, a staple in westerns for years and the son of veteran actor Carleton Young. Corinne Camacho plays Maria, and is quite good. In fact, the acting is excellent, the whole cast shines. Reza is to be commended for his director skills.

Written by Donn Mullaly, also associated with IRONSIDE. SEASON 5 Episode 19 remastered CBS/Paramount dvd box set.

Not the right guy for the job

[pkfloydmh · 3/10 · 6 November 2021]

This one is about a syndicate hood who gets gunned down while meeting with Joe in a warehouse.

This is a dreadful episode that has Joe laughably acting as a peacemaker between two rival mobs, which is totally inconsistent with the show's history, because after all, this is someone who has gotten into an endless number of fights and brawls over the last four years and yet THIS is the guy you choose to be your peacemaker? Yikes. And why did they choose an outsider like Joe to do it anyways? Why didn't they choose one of their own hoods? And the idea that Victor would go along with everything Joe says when Joe is in no position to negotiate and after Joe just slugged one of his men is not credible.

Joe should know better by now than to meet a potential client in a dark and lonely warehouse. That never ends well and certainly doesn't here.

Corinne Camacho's performance was horrible as she's as wooden as a tree trunk and speaks in a monotone and is so soft-spoken it almost sounds like she's whispering at times. She really needs to speak up and find some energy if she wants to be an actor.

Joe gets shot at but doesn't get clobbered over the head.

At the end we once again have the really aggravating cliché where the police rush in to the scene when they had no way of knowing what was going on there. I really hate this cliché.

There are a couple of good action scenes that are worth seeing but everything else is silly and falls flat as the idea that Joe would be acting as a peacemaker is ludicrous considering the show's history and the idea that the mob would use him as a go-between instead of someone in their own ranks is implausible. This is a forgettable episode.